Carlo Tricoli Movies
- 1963
This Untouchables episode is the second of two unsold pilot films for the spinoff series The Seekers, starring Barbara Stanwyck as Lt. Agatha "Aggie" Stewart of the Chicago Bureau of Missing Persons. On this occasion, Aggie is determined to identify the "John Doe" whose body was recently fished out of Lake Michigan--especially after an expensive wreath is sent to the dead man's grave in Potter's Field. Tracing the teller's mark on the cash used to buy the flowers, Aggie locates one Claire Simmons (Sheree North), who has quite a story to tell. Meanwhile, Elliot Ness (Robert Stack) and the Untouchables are hot on the trail of a criminal gang led by the Portuguese Brothers--never dreaming that his assignment and Aggie Stewart's search will soon merge into one single case. Edward Asner and Virginia Capers appear respectively as detective Frank Benton and Lt. Stewart's secretary Aggie, repeating their roles from the previous episode "Elegy". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Frankie Fane (Jack Carson) is a particularly despicable gangster, who has accumulated a fortune selling illegal drugs to children. While hiding from the American authorities in Italy, Fane grows weary of visiting the same local sites day after day. Thus, he is receptive when another tourist, Ainslee Crowder (Christopher Dark), suggests that Frankie pay a visit to the out-of-the-way ruins in the Etruscan village of Alda Nouva. Unfortunately for Frankie, the village is populated by youngsters who prove to be every bit as larcenous -- and heartless -- as he is. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Based on real incidents in the life and death of Lt. Joseph Petrosino (Ernest Borgnine) of the New York police force, this tale set between 1906-1909 details the history of the lieutenant's fight to prove Sicilian Mafia involvement in crimes in his city. Lt. Petrosino has a series of dangerous close calls as he distinguishes himself by saving singer Enrico Caruso from a Mafia bomb outside the Metropolitan Opera, and by also saving the father of Adelina (Zohra Lampert) the woman he loves. Several other exploits eventually lead to Petrosino's trip to Sicily to nail evidence for the Mafia's activities in New York, and for a final meeting with destiny. This represented the last screen credit of scenarist Bertram Millhauser, who died in 1958; he had received his penultimate credit nine years before that, on the 1949 Tokyo Joe. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ernest Borgnine, Zohra Lampert, (more)
- 1953
"Her Salome Will Steal Your Breath Away" was the classic advertising slogan attached to this opulent Rita Hayworth epic -- a slogan which became laughable whenever a radio announcer would mispronounce Salome as "salami." Using the very sketchy Biblical story of the death of John the Baptist as its springboard, Salome depicts its title character, the stepdaughter of King Herod, as a victim of circumstance rather than a wanton temptress. Banished from Rome because of an unfortunate romance with the nephew of Caesar, Salome (Rita Hayworth) declares that all men are her enemies, but her resolve weakens when she falls in love with Claudius (Stewart Granger), the military commander of Galilee. Meanwhile, Salome's wicked mother, Herodias (Judith Anderson), plots the demise of John the Baptist (Alan Badel), who currently enjoys the protection of the superstitious Herod (Charles Laughton). At this point, the story departs radically from Scripture. Salome is no longer coerced by Herodias to demand the head of John the Baptist; instead, Herodias, on her own, promises Herod that Salome will perform the "Dance of the Seven Veils" for him -- but only if he beheads John first (Salome has been misinformed that the dance will save John from the headsman's sword). Somehow, scriptwriter Jesse Lasky Jr. even manages to concoct a happy ending for poor Salome, which is a lot more than Oscar Wilde or Richard Strauss were able to do. Considered an artistic flop in 1953, Salome seems somewhat better today, if only because of that powerhouse cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rita Hayworth, Stewart Granger, (more)
Gene Autry goes undercover once again in this rather pedestrian western from Columbia Pictures. Suspecting jailed youth Dave Weldon (Dick Jones) of complicity in an army payroll heist, special investigator Autry has himself jailed. He quickly discovers that there is more to the case than meets the eye and helps Dave escape and rejoin his father's medicine show, which also includes Dave's sister Connie (Gail Davis) and the singing Cass Country Boys. Meanwhile, nasty Mike McClure (Henry Rowlands and his crew are also after the stolen money and to save young Dave's life, Gene convinces him to turn the loot over to Marshal Taplan (Gordon Jones). Among other selections, Autry and the Cass County Boys perform yet another version of Gene's signature tune, "Back in the Saddle Again". ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Pat Buttram, (more)
- 1952
Loosely based on the true story of Lieutenant Colonel Peter Ortiz, this mystery centers on an American WW II veteran who heroically served as both an officer and a member of the French Foreign Legionnaire. During the war he had been instrumental in assisting in the French Resistance. With such a sterling war record--his exploits are revealed via flashback-- it is therefore a great shock when he is charged with the murder of a Resistance leader. It does not help that the accused lieutenant is thought dead following a key mission and is not around to clear his sullied name. During the trial, several dubious witnesses tell their version of the tale. A former communist spy presents the most conclusive "proof" that the lieutenant killed the Resistance leader. Fortunately, the lieutenant is not dead and bursts in at the crucial moment to clear his name and point out which of the witnesses is the real killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cornel Wilde, Steve Cochran, (more)
- 1951
For his initial effort from his own Norma Productions, Burt Lancaster picked a winner in Ten Tall Men. Lancaster stars as "Sergeant Mike," a two-fisted Foreign Legionnaire presiding over a lovable band of mercenaries, sneak thieves and cutthroats. While sitting in the stockade for the umpteenth time, Mike learns of a Riff plan to attack his fort. He and his men break jail and embark on their own attack of the Riffian encampment. Part of their strategy (much of which is improvised on the spot) is to kidnap Mahia (Jody Lawrence), the toothsome daughter of the Riffian sheik. Understandably, Mahia despises her captors until she realizes that the film's real villain is the covetous Caid Hussan (Gerald Mohr). This one's got everything, from a campy reenactment of a key scene in Beau Geste to the old reliable threat of a red-hot iron upon female flesh. Mari Blanchard, fully clothed for a change, shows up early in the film as a coquettish French mademoiselle who foments an all-out donnybrook among Mike and his fellow legionnaires. With the exceptions of Jody Lawrence and Gerald Mohr, no one in Ten Tall Men takes the proceedings too seriously; the film has some of the cheeky insouciance of Lancaster's subsequent swashbuckler The Crimson Pirate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Lancaster, Jody Lawrance, (more)
- 1951
Auteur theorists may have trouble discerning the "signature" of director Phil Karlson in the Columbia costume adventure Mask of the Avenger. John Derek stars as Capt. Renatu Dimorna, the son of an Italian aristocrat, who vows revenge after his father is murdered during the European political upheaval of 1848. To this end, Dimorna becomes a dashing Robin Hood type, swashbuckling his way throughout Italy. His principal rival is a traitorous military leader (Anthony Quinn), who is also Dimorna's rival for the affections of a beautiful woman (Jody Lawrance). Production values are quite good in Mask of the Avenger, belying the picture's modest budget. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Derek, Anthony Quinn, (more)
- 1950
- NR
Gene Kelly as an Italian-American attorney? Once you get past this, the rest of Black Hand ought to go down easy. This expose of organized crime is set in New York's "Little Italy" the late 19th century. The various Italian immigrant merchants find themselves at the mercy of the Black Hand, a group which extorts money upon threat of death. Seeking vengeance for the mob-dictated murder of his father, Kelly tries to gather evidence against the Black Hand. He is frustrated in his efforts until he teams with Italian/American police inspector J. Carroll Naish. Though Naish is eventually murdered while assembling evidence, he is able to mail his findings to Kelly, who, after beating crime boss Marc Lawrence to a bloody pulp, delivers the guilty parties to the authorities. In the real-life incidents upon which this film is based, it was the Mafia, not the Black Hand, who functioned as the villain. Even in 1950, however, Hollywood had to tread gingerly whenever dealing with big-time crime; it was easier (and safer) to go after a "dead" criminal organization than a "live" one. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Kelly, J. Carrol Naish, (more)
- 1950
Though filmed in Hollywood, The Vicious Years is set in postwar Italy. Tommy Cook plays a homeless orphan named Mario, who happens to witness a murder committed by the son of a wealthy family. The enterprising Mario moves in with the family, promising to keep his mouth shut in exchange for food, shelter, and creature comforts. Gradually, a genuine affection develops between the boy and the family. But the homicidal son (Gar Moore) unrepentantly schemes to rid himself of Mario at the first opportunity. The slow, leisurely pace of The Vicious Years accelerates dramatically during the climactic scenes. Way down on the cast list is future MGM leading man Russ Tamblyn, here billed as Rusty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tommy Cook, Sybil Merritt, (more)
- 1950
- NR
Cary Grant's utter credibility in the role of a brilliant, world-famous brain surgeon Dr. Eugene Norland Ferguson is the single element that keeps Crisis afloat. While vacationing in a politically unstable Latin American country, Ferguson and his wife, Helen (Paula Raymond), find themselves the unwilling house guests of dictator Raoul Farrago (José Ferrer). Suffering from a brain tumor, Farrago insists that Ferguson operate at once. The "crisis" of the title arises when revolutionary leader Gonzales (Gilbert Roland) demands that Farrago be killed on the operating table -- and kidnaps Dr. Ferguson's wife to bind the bargain. Unaware of his wife's plight, Ferguson proceeds with the operation, setting into motion a series of events leading to a grimly ironic denouement. Director Richard Brooks adapted the screenplay of Crisis from a story by George Tabori. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cary Grant, José Ferrer, (more)
- 1950
Roger Quain (Howard Duff) arrives in Europe to look after the welfare of two zoo-bound black panthers. Catherine Ulven (Marta Toren), a secret agent for an unnamed country, decides to smuggle a valuable piece of film to America by hiding it in the collar of one of the big cats. If it were this easy, the film would be over in ten minutes. Instead, enemy agents Denson (Philip Friend), Paradou (Robert Douglas) and Kopel (Dorn) target Roger, Catherine, and the panthers for extermination. Thus the stage is set for a thrill-packed pursuit through the mountains of Switzerland. Spy Hunt is based on the somewhat more credible novel Panther's Moon by Victor Canning. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Howard Duff, Märta Torén, (more)
- 1950
Between Midnight and Dawn is a solid, no-frills detective drama from the Columbia studio mills. Mark Stevens and Edmond O'Brien star as police officers Barnes and Purvis, who tool around in their prowl car in the wee hours of the morning. Vengeful gangster Ritchie Garris (Donald Buka) would like nothing better than to get Barnes and Purvis out of his hair, especially after breaking out of jail. In a thrill-packed climax, Garris makes a desperate escape using a little kid as a shield, while Purvis tries to second-guess the homicidal gangster. As Kate Mallory, Gale Storm has little to do except serve as the bone of romantic contention between the two male protagonists. Curiously, Storm doesn't get to sing, though supporting actress Gale Robbins does--three times, in fact. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Stevens, Edmond O'Brien, (more)
- 1950
A Lady Without Passport stars Hedy Lamarr in the title role. Lamarr plays Marianne Lorress, a concentration-camp refugee who takes up residence in Cuba while waiting permission to enter the U.S. Immigration agent Pete Karczag (John Hodiak) decides to use Marianne as bait to entrap Palinov (George Macready), the brains of an alien-smuggling ring. Pete eventually falls in love with Marianne, but she despises him for using her--at least until fade-out time. Despite the tattoo on her arm, it is difficult to believe that Hedy Lamarr has survived a Nazi concentration camp; she appears instead to have staged a desperate escape from the MGM makeup department. This aside, A Lady without Passport is an acceptable (and commendably short) crime meller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hedy Lamarr, John Hodiak, (more)
